Random Swimming and Bench Questions

To fox the bench, get some rubber bands (the long ones gyms often have to warm up with) and put two lengthways around the bench. It then grips you as you bench and stops any sliding. There are also bench T-shirts you can buy which have rubber panels on the back, which basically do the same thing (have a look at A7) 😀

In response to the swim question:

I'd definitely recommend getting on the wait list for lessons if this is something you want to pursue or looking around to see if anyone else does lessons. Not sure what you have available...I live in a medium sized city and we have everything from the Red Cross to lessons at the local public pool to private lessons available.

As to learning to breath...that's a tough one without actually being in the water with someone practicing. I started taking lessons when I was 8 and was a Red Cross lifeguard in my teens as well as on swim team and played water polo, so I couldn't really say how to learn to breath as it's all pretty much ingrained in me at this point and just natural and don't really remember how I learned other than I just learned it.

What I can say is start with the easy strokes first. Most young swimmers learn the breast stroke first, then side stroke, and then front crawl which requires more advanced breathing than the others. The backstroke is generally the last of the beginner strokes learned. The only thing I can really recall about learning to breath for the front crawl is practicing while holding onto the edge and kicking and just practicing the breathing part without actually swimming the stroke.

I wouldn't even worry about flip turns at this point...they're an advanced turn used primarily in a race setting or race training setting. Even if used for recreational/fitness lap swim, you would need your swimming fitness to be pretty up there to just do lap after lap without stopping for rests. There are swim programs on line and most of them (particularly at beginner level) will have you do a lap and rest for 15-30 seconds and repeat how many ever laps...then a longer rest and start the next set of laps and repeat for how many ever sets. Most recreational/fitness lap swimmers I've come across don't do flip turns and the ones that do are master level swimmers. When I was on swim team it was something we specifically practiced at the wall over and over and over in order to be able to perfect it for racing.

I don't remember exactly how I was taught to breathe (in adult learn to swim classes around 15 or so years ago), though it was a key thing I needed to learn.

Not an online thing, but I do remember that my favorite instructor recommended the book Total Immersion (Laughlin/Delves). I just looked, and it does include some information about breathing, but somewhat limited. If your library has it, you could take a look and see if it helps.

I also have the book The Essential Swimmer (Tarpinian), but I can't remember why (it may've just been cheap someplace when I was interested? Caveat emptor!). It does talk about how to do flip turns, as well as about breathing (specific to different strokes). There are line drawings, more so for flip turns than breathing.

Both of those books have an index, so it's easy to find the main info about breathing and flip turns, if you find them and want to skim before buying or checking out of library.

Truth in advertising: My breathing technique is still poor, though much better than when I started the adult lessons (when it was non-existant). I can breathe OK, but can only swim about one length freestyle/front crawl before getting out of breath. I think most of this is because I actively dislike swimming, so don't practice. I don't know if the problem is breathing technique, or trying to go too fast. Pretty sure it isn't abstract CV capacity, though it may be sport-specific CV capacity? (My only point in learning was to improve my self-rescue skills for rowing, not to actually perform at swimming. I don't want to swim. at. all. But when you row boats that are a foot wide at the waterline, swimming can happen.)

While you wait for swim lessons, you might search online for “mrswimsmooth”, an animated app that shows perfect swim form.
As far as breathing, here’s my 2 cents:
Start by standing in waist deep water and bending forward to submerge your face. No arms needed, just develop a feel for the breathing cadence and repeat a mantra to help you maintain a smooth pattern. One mantra I used (and still do occasionally) helps me with bilateral breathing on every third stroke. “Bubbles….Bubbles…..Breathe(left), Bubbles….Bubbles…Breathe(right)” helps me to exhale slowly and continuously during the left and right arm strokes, then breathe each third stroke. No breath holding only continuous exhaling helps you avoid gasping for air, while also emptying your lungs fully by the time you turn your head to inhale. This can be done on a two stroke or four stroke cadence as well if you only breathe to one side.
Hope this helps.

What great advice about swimming from everyone! I really enjoy a deep water running class but every so often venture into the lap lane. Now I feel like some lessons would be more than helpful.....better technique would have better results with less effort.

I second the suggestion for the non-slip shelf liner. I paddle with a dragon boat club and our boat has smooth seats. I use it so I don't slide and just keep it in my pfd pocket between paddles. Marvelous stuff.